Canada's
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau pauses while responding to
questions after delivering an apology in the House of Commons on
Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, May 19, 2016
following a physical altercation the previous
day.Reuters/Chris
Wattie

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, whose
family's ties with the late Cuban leader Fidel Castro go back
decades, mourned the loss of a "remarkable leader" on Saturday,
sparking a flurry of criticism and humor at his favorable tone.

Castro, who died on Friday aged 90, won support for bringing
schools and hospitals to the poor but also created legions of
enemies for his ruthless suppression of dissent.

Trudeau's comments on Castro were markedly more
positive than most Western leaders, who either condemned the
revolutionary leader's human rights record or tip-toed around the
subject.

Instead, Trudeau warmly recalled his late
father’s friendship with Castro and his own meeting with Castro’s
three sons and brother — Raul, Cuba’s current president — during
a visit to the island nation earlier this month.

"While a controversial figure, both Mr. Castro’s supporters and
detractors recognized his tremendous dedication and love for the
Cuban people who had a deep and lasting affection for 'el
Comandante',” Trudeau said in the
statement.

He called Castro "larger than life" and "a legendary
revolutionary and orator."

Fidel Castro was an honorary pall bearer at the 2000 funeral
of Trudeau’s father, former prime minister
Pierre Elliot Trudeau. In 1976, the
senior Trudeau became the first NATO
leader to visit Cuba since its revolution, at one point exhorting
"Viva Castro!"

"I know my father was very proud to call him a friend and I had
the opportunity to meet Fidel when my father passed away," the
Canadian prime minister said on Saturday.

Trudeau did not see Fidel Castro during his
official visit to Cuba in November

His statement was met with puzzlement and derision by some
Americans, including Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida, who is of
Cuban descent.

“Is this a real statement or parody? Because if this is a real
statement from the PM of Canada it is shameful and embarrassing,”
Rubio
tweeted.

Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, who is also of Cuban descent, agreed with
Rubio, calling Trudeau’s remarks "disgraceful."

In a series of tweets, Cruz suggested that Trudeau and
President Barack Obama — whose own
statement avoided directly criticizing Castro, although
steered clear of praise — "take a min (sic) to look into the
eyes of victims of communism" before "slobbering adulation on
tyrants."

Trudeau's statement spawned the Twitter hashtag
#TrudeauEulogies, which quickly began trending as
people emulated the prime
minister's upbeat tone and lack of criticism.

"While controversial, Darth Vader achieved great heights in space
construction and played a formative role in his son’s life,"
tweeted @markusoff, riffing on the Star Wars movie villain.

Canada, long one of Cuba's closest Western allies, hosted secret
talks between Cuba and the United States, brokered by the
Vatican, that led to the resumption of diplomatic ties between
the two foes last year.